Yammy Empanadas

My friend, Hector, makes really good empanadas. An enthusiastic Hungry Fan supporter, Hector picked up both my Barbecue and Pumpkin Spice blends and came up with this tasty recipe. It's made with yams and it's yummy. Get it? (Wink, wink).

These empanadas call for store-bought empanada discs because let’s face, that’s a heck of a lot easier than making them yourself. (And on game day, this is probably welcomed). But if you’re good at making empanada discs from scratch, please go ahead!

Prick the yams several times each with a fork and place them onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tender.

Let the yams cool enough to handle, then remove skin. Place into a mixing bowl and mash well with a fork or potato masher. Add sour cream and Hungry Fan® Pumpkin Spice Blend and mix until incorporated.

Generously rub chicken thighs with Hungry Fan® Barbecue Spice Blend.

Place the thighs into the refrigerator, covered, let allow them to marinate at least 30 minutes. (They’re best overnight).

In a bowl, combine the cayenne pepper sauce with the honey and another tablespoon of Hungry Fan® Barbecue Spice Blend. Place the chicken thighs into the mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer the now coated chicken into a large skillet and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Flip the chicken over and cover the skillet. Simmer until the liquid has thickened. Remove from skillet.

Use a fork to shred the chicken. Combine the chicken and any sauce left in the skillet into the yam mixture and mix.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken and yam mixture into the middle of an empanada disc. Fold the disc in half to form a moon shape. Moisten the edges of the disc with and pinch to seal closed, or seal with a fork.

Fill a deep saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 ½ inches. Heat the oil until hot (350 degrees) over medium-high heat.

Cook the empanadas until golden brown, flipping once, for about 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-covered plate to drain then, while still hot, sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Hungry Fan® is a sports lifestyle brand that curates the sports fan’s Game Day experience. From food & drink to gear, traditions, Game Day culture, and an insider’s look at teams & athletes, Hungry Fan® makes a Game Day gathering as exciting as the game itself.